


Build-A-Family

by Maykits



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aurors, Gen, House Elves, Not Epilogue Compliant, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-03 17:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14001246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maykits/pseuds/Maykits
Summary: Post HPDH, not epilogue compliant. Harry starts to build a family. Tags updated as things happen.





	1. Chapter 1

The war was over. Harry slumped down in the large armchair in the parlor of 12 Grimmauld Place. He had just been to Remus's and Tonk’s funerals. He just couldn't cry anymore. All of his tears were gone. More of his family was dead. Harry was tired of burying family. Harry slouched further in the chair. He didn't have any more funerals to attend. Ron and Hermione had left directly after the funeral and were already in Australia via portkey to hopefully reverse the memory charm on her parents. The trials were starting soon. Harry planned to sit at each one. Give any testimonies that he needed to in order to make sure the witches and wizards who were on the side of Voldermort paid for their transgressions. 

Harry fell asleep in the chair again. Kretcher walked around him, glaring and muttering about masters that can't take care of themselves.

Kretcher snapped his fingers and transferred Harry to his bed and with another snap changed him into his pajamas and the blankets tucked around him. Kretcher then apperated to Hogwarts and continued with the tasks of repairing the castle with the rest of the Hogwarts elves like his master wanted. 

***

All of the death eaters and their supporters were tried relatively quickly. It only took a little more than three weeks. Lots of them were sent to Azkaban, the rest assigned fines and large amounts of community service; most has their wands snapped any with any titles were stripped of the title which if the there was an appropriate relative was passed to them otherwise it was simply gone. 

After the trials came the award ceremonies. Many dead witches and wizards were awarded Order of Merlins, some were even given money or seats on the Wizengamot which passed to their named heirs. Harry was awarded a lordship and was now recognized as holding both the Potter and Black seats. Remus and Tonks were both given large sums of money, their infant son would never want for money. Remus was posthumously given a lordship and as such his son Teddy was now the head of both the Tonk and Lupin houses and called Lord Lupin with a wizengamot seat at the tender age of three months old.

Harry attended every single one of the ceremonies. He clapped and watched the faces of the survivors. The grief and relief in their faces.   
There were two people who caused quite a stir when they were given awards for their actions during the war. Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Malfoy. They had both been on trial just a few weeks prior and had both walked away with large fines, over three years of community service each but with their wands intact. The same actions which had given them reduced sentences had managed to impress the ministry enough that Draco was given an Order of Merlin third class for his actions protecting and helping Harry Potter and Narcissa was given a certificate of special recognition for her part in helping Harry. 

****

Harry sank into his armchair after the last awards ceremony. He had received an owl earlier with an invitation to be an auror. No further training or education needed. He could start tomorrow. There were interrogations that still needed to be done and a long list of minor death eaters or supporters that needed to be tracked down and brought to justice. Harry held the letter and read through it again. And again. And again.

Kretcher popped in when he felt his Master drift off to sleep. He returned Master’s cleaned clothing to the drawers and closet. He put meals in the kitchen with warming or cooling charms on them. He snapped his fingers and cleaned up the few dirty dishes, straighter the parlor, dusty the main areas that Harry used, and then once again transferred his exhausted Master to bed. He popped back to Hogwarts and did his next favorite task: complaining about his Master not taking care of himself and how he was going to work himself into an early grave and how Kretcher would be left all alone with no one to serve. 

The other elves nodded along on agreement whenever Kretcher started one of these long winded rants. They all agreed their Masters and Mistresses did too much. The elves that were exclusively Hogwarts elves and not those sent from various families all over Britain to help with the rebuilding of the school didn't understand. They had never been just responsible for a few people they had always had several hundred students and dozens of teachers depending on them. They didn't need to worry about not having someone to serve as long as Hogwarts remained a school.

*****

Harry woke up 18 hours after he fell asleep. The insistent tapping on the window slowly cut through the sleep fog wrapped around his head.   
He gestured at the window and it obliging opened. Ever since he had started living at Grimmauld Place full time and had become the official heir to the Black line the house had started to treat him as such. Things like the window opening automatically were happening more often. Also Kretcher seemed nicer...still grouchy...but a nicer grouch.

The owl fluttered in. It was a The Daily Prophet delivery owl. Harry subscribed to the Prophet, the Quibbler, Quidditch Quarterly and the Ministry Update. He had gotten a trial issue of Witch’s Weekly but all the winking and leering photos of celebrities along with the photos where the occupants were trying to hide brought two sets of uncomfortable memories forward...the adoration of his fans and him trying to have a private life. 

“Help yourself to a treat. Here’s a knut.” Harry tucked a knut from the small stash of coins in the bedside drawer into the small pouch on the owls leg before pointing to the perch near the window set there just for that purpose.

The paper was in the traditional roll but it was smaller than the normal thickness. Harry untied the twine used to hold it closed and opened the paper in his lap. 

DARK MARK SPOTTED OVER BRISTOL ST HOME

Harry sat all the way up dislodging pillows and blankets. What! Voldemort was gone! Most of the Death Eaters were dead or imprisoned.   
He quickly fanned the paper out and started reading the article. It said the house belonged to a muggleborn witch, her muggle husband and their five children. Six were found dead inside. The only boy child was still missing. Aurors were still investigating. The Prophet went on to speculate on which Death Eaters were still at large that could have done it, what the Aurors were looking at and if Harry was going to continue to save them.

“Kretcher!” Harry yelled for Kretcher, he needed to get dressed and needed Kretcher to come with him to the ministry. Harry threw off the covers and quickly shrugged out of his pjs and into jeans and a sweatshirt.

With a small pop Kretcher appeared. “Master called?”

“Kretcher! Did you hear about the newest Death Eater attack? I need to get to the ministry.”

“Yes, sad sad. Has Master eaten?”

“No, no time we need to get this rouge death eater before more families are killed!”

Kretcher snapped his fingers and a steaming breakfast pocket appeared in the air before Harry.   
“Master must eat, did Master get a floo call to come in?”

“Thanks Kretcher,” Harry said as he shoved the delicious breakfast pocket into his mouth as he worked on pulling his sneakers on. “No they didn't call but they might just be too busy.”

“Maybe they can handle it on their own?”

“No, no they will need me. No more people should been dying. Kretcher I need you to come with me and maintain shields around me to keep any dark wizards and fans away from me just like we did for the trials, funerals and ceremonies. You still know the approved people that can come close?”

“Yes Master.” Kretcher straightened his carefully pressed dark green pillowcase with the insignia of both the Black and Potter houses. And cast the shield and repellent spells. 

Harry made his way to the floo and stepped inside with Kretcher standing close. 

“The ministry, Kingsley’s office!” A whosh of green flame appeared and Harry and Kretcher disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aurors office and Harry does a little snooping

“Harry! What are you doing here? Are you going to accept the auror position? We need strong young people like you! I can show you around and show you the desk that you’ll have?” Kingsley Shacklebot was sitting behind his big oak desk and in front of him was the head auror, Gawain Robards. Robards was who had spoken.

“Sir,” Harry said nodding to Kingsley, “Head Auror Robards, thank you for the invitation I actually stopped by to see how I could help with the recent Death Eater developments. What do you know so far?”

“Ah not to worry Harry we have that well in hand, I was just giving the minister an update. Would you like that tour now, I have a bit of time before the next briefing.”

“Was it a death eater? Do you know which one it was? I know some of them escaped. I had a thought that maybe they could be traced with a spell similar to the underage magic spell since they all have that tattoo?”

“It’s an active investigation still, yes some did escape but like we told the Prophet we have a good idea of who it was. How about I let the Minster get back to work and you and I go for a walk?”

“Ok, I want to hear more about the death eater, maybe we could go visit the crime scene?”

“All in good time my boy. Kingsley I'll get you another update later. Harry let's go.” Robards opened the doorway and waited for Harry to proceed him into the hallway.

“So which Death Eater do you think it is was? Did it look like only one?”

“Ah Harry have you given any thought to my offer? We could really use you here in the auror department. Lots of people would appreciate the reassurance that having you working on catching the remaining death eaters would give them.”

“Thank you for the offer, I’m still thinking about it. Do you have any leads on where the Death Eater went afterwards?”

“Kinder, Dragmon, Trigher, Unlesly...Harry stopped by to visit.” Four aurors dressed in the crimson work robes turned as Harry and Robards entered the break room. 

“Hello Harry! Remember me? I helped you when those people were chasing you wanting an autograph.” Sal Kinder was excited to see Harry he was hoping the famous boy would let him take a picture with him. His wife didn't believe that he had met the famous Boy Who Lived.

“Yes, thank you for your help with that.” Harry didn't really remember who had helped him just that an auror had. It was two days after Voldemort’s defeat and Harry had been in Diagon Alley to pick up some new clothes for Teddy. It was the last time he had travelled outside of Grimmauld without the protections Kretcher offered. Andromeda had suggested it when Harry had told her why he was out of breath and his clothing torn. Kretcher could maintain shield and repellent spells and Harry could focus on what he wanted instead of keeping himself shielded all the time. With Kretcher invisible inside the shield behind the strong notice-me-not spells the houseelves used it was a practical way for Harry to be out and about.

“Harry! Thank you for defeating Him.”

“Harry nice to see you! I remember the stir you created when the sorting hat sorted you, I was in my 7th year that year.” Harry nodded his head in acknowledgement.

“Can you fill me in on the Death Eater case?”

At a subtle nod from Robards, Dragmon spoke, “sure Harry, lets go to my office.”

*****

Dragmon settled himself behind his desk, he had a small cubicle on the outside of the bullpen. The desk was a cheap office furniture store type, the fake wood laminate was scarred with scratches. The desk was neat but the wall behind was cluttered with all sorts of notes and pictures of various crimes and criminals. Most of the pictures were moving and glaring and gesturing rudely...a couple were just staring. A framed empty painting hung on the half wall.

“Harry, what can I help you with?”

“I want to help with the case, what exactly happened? Do you have any leads?”

“All I can tell you Harry is that the family was found inside murdered. Looked to have been the use of multiple killing curses. The boy, Jake, is still missing, we are trying to find out if he was gone at the time or if he was taken. It looks like the Death Eater was Simon Brower, he was suspected to be a supporter but we never had any physical evidence before. This time we found his magical signature on the front door. So far we cannot locate him.”

“Ok, I can help with tracking him. Do you have anything that Simon used recently?”

“Harry everything is well in hand. There are several aurors already working on the leads the tracking spells are giving us. We think it was an isolated incident.”

Harry sat back in his chair. “That's good. What do you need my help with?”

“Well Harry, Head Auror Robards told me he had made you an offer to join us. Are you going to accept? Do you have any questions about being an auror?”

“I'm still thinking about it, he said I could start anytime this week.”

“Yes, anything I could do to help convince you? Perhaps a tour of the offices?”

“Give me something to do with this case. Death Eater attacks like this should not be happening anymore!”

Kretcher shook his head, he was watching all the interactions and facial expressions and the aurors were just humoring his Master. They may want him on the force but not for his investigative or fighting abilities.

“I can’t, it is an open investigation and you are not an auror. This isn't wartime anymore and exceptions cannot be made just because you want to help.”

Harry could feel himself getting angry. It was buffoons like this that let Voldemort get to power both times. They should take all the help they can get. He remembered Hermione reminding him not to lose his temper and breathed through his nose several times.

“Thank you, Auror Dragmon, for the update on the case. I don't have time to stay for a tour. I remember the way, I'll see myself out.” Harry stood quickly and with a short nod of his head turned and walked to the auror’s floo and after checking that Kretcher was tucked beside him headed to Diagon Alley.

****  
Diagon Alley was bustling. Witches and wizards of all ages were darting in and out of the shops. The shops all looked much better then when Harry had been there almost two months before. Harry paused just outside, “perhaps some notice-me-not charms on me as well Kretcher?” 

After Harry felt the magic of his house elf he stepped fully unto the street. He made his way to the Prophet. He knew someone there would know the location of the house. Harry wanted to check it himself, the aurors might have missed something. 

The Prophet was bustling with reporters coming and going through the floos and the three designated apperating spots just to the left of the main doors. Harry walked inside and glanced at the paper from that morning proudly displayed on the front counter of the waiting area. A Fritz Shophimer was who had the picture credit and Drew A. Yertz was the author of the article. Under the notice me not charm Harry made his way through the busy corridors until he was at the desk of Drew A. Yertz who wasn't there. Harry walked around behind the desk and carefully shuffled a few papers to see if he saw anything telling the exact location.  
He probably could have tried to talk his way into getting the information but with his past with the paper and not wanting to be bombarded with questions or requests for interviews a little poking around was for the better.  
Ah there it was, the Bristol street address was 255 outside of the London proper. With a quick glance around Harry stepped back to the lobby and out the door.   
Harry walked quickly to the nearest exit from Diagon Alley and once in the open street hailed a taxi. After giving the driver the address he sat back in the seat. Kretcher had clammored up beside him on the seat. It wasn't the first time Harry and Kretcher had taken muggle transportation, often it was easier then wizarding method when Harry risked getting mobbed at every apperation point, long distance broom travel was long and often cold, portkey were for special occasions and emergency and floo was only when traveling to another floo.  
Harry spent the ride thinking about the different spells he could use to track the missing boy or the death eater.   
He decided to try a general tracking spell when he got there. Hermione had found it when they were in the Forest of Dean. They used it for tracking small animals they had seen signs of so they could have a meal or two. All Harry would need is something that was linked directly to the person. It wasn't something that wizards or even aurors used anymore because it didn't give any indication of time or distance. But after casting the spell Harry would be able to see a slightly glowing trail of where the person went after leaving a mark.


	3. Chapter 3

After paying the driver Harry stepped out the of the taxi a couple of blocks from the house. He would need to approach the house without the aurors or reporters seeing him.   
“Kretcher can you renew the notice-me-not charms?”   
Harry walked toward the house with Kretcher through the two layers of muggle repelling words and into the active investigation.   
There were at least ten aurors in the scence one was processing what looked to be two muggles, the one in a nightgown was gesturing excitedly and the other, a police officer, was standing calmly taking notes as the auror took notes on whatever the excitable person was talking about. Others were working on getting rid of the skull hanging in the sky. They had quickly cast several spells over the area to hide the effect from the many muggle neighbors but unknown to the aurors a tv station had already received footage of the mark appearing and disappearing and were planning on running it tonight as an interest piece.  
Harry sidled by the aurors standing around guarding the area while the aurors in charge of crime scene evidence recovery and body removal or CERBTWO as they were called by the investigative aurors.  
The door stood open and was glowing in several places. The magical trace of Simon Brower made usable for documentation of many things including color, pattern, mood of caster. The documentation would be not only analyzed by the aurors but also sent to the unspeakables.  
Harry waited for a gap in the wizards and quickly made his way inside the house.   
He needed something the boy had touched recently. Too long and the the trail would be everywhere. Harry made his way down the hall and found the ghostly outlines of most of the family. They had been killed while eating breakfast. Just by looking at the science it looked like the father had been hit first as he was slumped over the table, the four girls were ranging in age from around four to around ten. They looked to have died while trying to run away. Harry turned his back on the morbid scene, even with no bodies present it was still a gastly sight. The mother and the youngest, Jake, were still not accounted for. Harry made his way to the stairs were he could hear more aurors or crime scene processors working upstairs. He ducked into the living room when a body in a opace containment bag was floated down the stairs. Following the body was an auror and two techs. Harry waited until they reached the front and then swiftly climbed the stairs. He found the mother’s ghost body in the third room. She was collapsed in the middle of the floor. Her wand was just to the left of her hand. The room was clearly the nursery of a beloved boy child. The similarities to Harry’s past made him pause for a moment and shove some memories behind him before gathering himself for a look around. It looked like she had been changing the boy. There was a pair of pjs discarded on top of the changing table and a new folded outfit lying there as well. 

Harry stepped around the ghost body and reached for the used pjs those should work perfect for the tracking spell. 

Kretcher watched as his master began to cast. First the pjs started to glow then like sludge dripping off a rain soaked shoe the glow spread down the front of the table and quickly along the floor before ending at the laundry hamper. 

Harry quickly crossed to the hamper and attempted to open it. It held tight. 

Voices could be heard moving up the stairs. Kretcher grabbed Harry and the hamper and apperated them all back to Grimmuld Place.

“Kretcher! Why did you do that?”

“Kretcher is sorry, Master was going to be seen! Kretcher is sorry, Kretcher didn't think.”

“Kretcher you took the hamper!? What will the aurors think if the notice it missing?”

“Shouldn't Master open the hamper?”

“Oh for goodness sakes,” Harry said under his breath. Sometimes Kretcher got the oddest nototions in his head. He’d just open the hamper and if there was anything of import he would simply have Kretcher return to the house.

He turned to look at the hamper. It was normal enough. A white whicker with a simple hinged lid, Harry tried to open it again. It resisted his efforts. He took out his wand and cast an aloramora on it. Then tried again. It still wouldn't open. 

“Kretcher, can you try?”

Kretcher stared at the hamper and then his eyes brightened and he snapped his fingers.

The lid opened and Harry peered inside. All he saw were dirty clothes. As he turned his head away in disappointment he saw the sparkle of a glamor and turned his wand on it with a strong finite. 

The glamor disappeared and before them was a small child. He was sleeping peacefully, his little fist opening and closing on his rounded toddler tummy as he sucked on his thumb.

“Ah master has found the missing child. What will master do now?”

“Well I need to let the aurors know he is fine. Well as fine as could be as his whole family was just killed.”

“What will the aurors do with him?”

“Place him with his relatives? I guess? I don't know. I'll have to ask Hermione.”

Kretcher peered over the edge of the hamper, “young master is so peaceful.”

“Well I guess I can wait until he wakes up. What does he need? Clothes for sure. A diaper? Krestcher, is there baby stuff here he can use?”

“Yes, Kretcher has kept the preservation charms at full strength on all of previous masters baby things, they are in the nursery.”

“Nursery? I've never seen a nursery here.”

“Master wouldn't because master has not had need. But Kretcher can show master, now that master has need.”

“Kretcher what else is here that I have not had need of so I don't know it exists? Kretcher?”  
Kretcher had already walked away and even though Harry knew that he had heard him Kretcher didn't respond. Silly mysterious house elf secrets. Wasn't the first time Harry had run across one nor would it likely be the last.

After casting some alert charms to let Harry know if Jake stirred or woke up Harry trailed after Kretcher.

Harry found Kretcher standing outside a door next to his bedroom. “That wasn't here before... magic never ceases to amaze.”

Kretcher opened the door, “the nursery. Both old Master’s Sirius and Regulus were cared for by Bug for the first three years of their precious lives.”

“Bug?”

“Bug was the nursery house elf. Her job was caring for all the babies of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. She cared for three generations but when Old Master Sirius was wrongly convicted and locked away in that horrible place she died...all the elves did. Not enough magic left to sustain them.” Kretcher stood up straighter, “only Kretcher was left, Kretcher is tied to the head and heir of the Black family.”

“They all died?”

“Yes Master Harry.”

“How many house elves were lost?”

“Thirty four. Only the best families have more than twenty house elves. The Black’s used to be one of the strongest families.”

“How do House elves get born?”

“The Master puts extra magic into an elf and the elf uses it to create a new elf.”

“Hermonie would find this fascinating.”

“Can I give you extra magic to make an elf who could care for Jake until the aurors are ready?”

“Master would like Kretcher to make more elves? Master honors Kretcher with such responsibility. Kretcher would be delighted to increase Master’s household.”

“Great! Can you tell me what to do?”

“Master Harry you just need to push some magic into Kretcher. Harry pointed his finger at Kretcher outstretched hand and dug into his well of magic. Hermione had worked with him on being able to better channel his magic and part of it had been finding his well of magic, the heart of the magic. Harry found picturing it as an overflowing well the most helpful for visualizing it.  
Harry took his mental hands and directed a flow of the magic down his arm and into Kretcher.  
There were four distinct bangs and Harry closed the connection with a startled “yelp” and opened his eyes.   
The elf standing in front of Harry was wearing the pillowcase with the Black and Potter crest and looked like a young Kretcher.   
Harry looked and there were four naked house elves standing in a line behind the first one. They all looked similar to Kretcher in the way that children have features in common with their parents.  
“Kretcher? Kretcher where did you go? I thought you were just going to make one new elf?”

“Master? Master Kretcher is here.” The elf dressed in Kretcher’s pillowcase said. “Master’s magic is very strong. Kretcher is sorry.” The elf seemed to be in shock looking at his hands not gnarled by time and lack of magic.

“Kretcher had to do something with it or Kretcher would have burned up.” Then Kretcher, for the young elf was really Kretcher, began to mumble. “Unless Master wanted Kretcher to burn up after giving him new elf, no Master is a good and just master, master would not want to hurt Kretcher, won't even let Kretcher iron his ears anymore.”

“Kretcher! I'm sorry I didn't know I was giving you so much! Are you ok? You didn't get hurt? You look different.”

“Yes Master, Kretcher is fine. After Kretcher made the new elf Master wanted Kretcher had more of your magic to use and Kretcher tried to just repair the damages of lack of magic but there was too much, so Kretcher made three more elves. Kretcher is sorry!” At this the elf threw himself on the ground at Harry’s feet. “Kretcher is sorry! Please don't give Kretcher clothes! Kretcher will serve Master better.”

“Kretcher! Kretcher! Stop! I'm not mad! I'm glad you are ok. I'm pleased you healed yourself. Kretcher, you are serving the houses of Black and Potter, you have brought great help to me personally and to my houses. Thank you Kretcher.”

“Master thanked Kretcher? Kretcher is still a good elf?”

“Yes Kretcher is still a good elf.”

“Please make sure the new elves get their pillowcases made. Please leave me for a few moments.”

“Master must be naming the new elves. Master must be formally accepting the new elves. Kretcher can dispatch any that Master doesn't want.”

“No! No dispatching. I want them all. I'm pleased you were able to make so many.” Harry turned to the new elves, they all looked so new, not a single scar or injury, they looked healthy and strong, much like Kretcher now looked. 

“Tibby, Trinket, Tubby, and Ty.” Harry said pointing to each of the elves. The elves looked at Harry like the sun rose and set on his command. As one they reached out their hands and Harry instinctively reached out his as well. 

Each took a turn saying their name and swearing to serve Harry and the houses of Black and Potter.

Strands of magical energy left each of the elves and was absorbed into Harry. Then Harry felt strands leave him and he watched as each elf’s arm was briefly lit.

Kretcher then ushered the new elves out and Harry sunk into the comfortable rocking chair. 

That was very unexpected. Harry couldn't believe it was that simple to make new elves. Why didn't more witches and wizards have them? Especially if they could be created so quickly. One of the alerts Harry put on the sleeping toddler jangled in his mind. That was another thing what to do about the baby. Harry didn't think it would be as easy as walking into the aurors and saying he found the baby. How would he explain himself now that Kretcher had removed them all from Jake’s house? 

The ward jangled again and Harry went downstairs to officially meet the little boy.


End file.
